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Tuesday, 23 May 2017

Today we are looking at an expansion for Star Wars Imperial Assault from Fantasy Flight Games. Much uttering of "Utinni!" must be done as we look at the Jawa Scavenger pack which comes in the scum and villains faction for mercenary use."I can't abide those Jawas. Disgusting creatures."
–C-3PO

Almost no one knows what Jawas look like beneath their hooded brown robes—not even on

Tatooine, where nearly everyone knows them by reputation. They are junk droid scavengers and merchants, and they traverse the desert planet in their massive, treaded sandcrawlers, hawking their wares to moisture farmers with few other options.

Not quite hostile, these Jawas aren't truly friendly, either. Because their droids are often hastily refurbished, they push to strike their bargains quickly. Then they roll away in their sandcrawlers before the droids have a chance to malfunction.

It's this combination of mystery, haggling, and droid-focused trickery that you'll find brought to life by the figure, missions, and cards in the Jawa Scavenger Villain Pack for Imperial Assault.

So Lets pop it open and take a peak inside see what we get to add to our games of Imperial Assault.

Thursday, 18 May 2017

Days of Wonder have got a deserved reputation for high quality components, and games that play well and look good. They have created some great games before like the hugely popular Ticket to Ride , and the charming great fun city builder Quadropolis. Yamatai is their latest offering, and it certainly does look beautiful, as you would expect from them.

Queen
Himiko has tasked every builder in the kingdom with a prestigious mission:
build the capital of Yamataï and make it the jewel of the archipelago. Your
task: surpass your competitors and build the most prestigious city of them all,
using resources from the fleets that travel through the kingdom. Prepare your
strategy, recruit specialists, and do whatever is necessary to become the best
builder and be rewarded by Queen Himiko for your work. In the end, only one
name will be remembered as the greatest builder of Yamataï!

In
Yamataï, players compete to earn prestige points using different strategies.
Clear the different islands of the archipelago to recruit powerful specialists
that will assist you, or use the resources carried by the boats that navigate
between them to construct buildings on the islands! And, if you’re skilled
enough, try creating prestigious buildings such as high temples or rare torii.

However,
you are not alone in competing for Queen Himiko’s favour… will you manage to
surpass your opponents?

Tuesday, 16 May 2017

Fantasy Flight Games.... makers of some of my very favourite games of all time, in fact a quick browse around the blog will show you how prolific and lovely their stuff is. Always high quality, and great to play too. Not that long ago FFG worked with Games workshop (maker of tabletop miniature wargames) in creating boardgames for various GW licenses. That though has sadly come to an end. However FFG thought they could do a tabletop fantasy miniatures mass battle game, like the one Games Workshop killed off upsetting a lot of fans, but set in their own Runebound universe, making it simpler to play, easier to teach, and have more depth. They have used a system very similar to the Flightpath system used in the Xwing miniatures game with some tweaks. Its a big challenge to break into the tabletop war-games market, so have FFG done it? read on and see.

The chill mists have an evil
reputation, billowing and moving like a thing alive. But the true terror
lies within the mist, a dead kingdom garrisoned by undying legions.
These legions now march on the border territory of Roth’s Vale… and all
Terrinoth will know war again.

The box art.... beautiful, and double sided too to show the glorious artwork
you get a TON of goodies in the box,it is HEFTY, but do not worry we will come to that :)

a really random touch, that Olivia noticed when she was investigating the boxes is that if you line them up, they form one large picture which is rather cool.

Thursday, 11 May 2017

The Arkham Horror card game
is excellent, and its really exciting to see another expansion products, to get a
feel for where FFG are going with the game, and progress your players OWN story. The first expansion we got
to see after the main game was the deluxe Dunwich Legacy pack, and that was a cracker! then we took a trip into the Miskatonic Museum,
Not to mention some diversions to Venice for Carnevale of Horrors, then we even had got to trek through the Bayous in Curse if the Rougarou. Then of course a nice gentle ride on the Essex County Express. A brief stop at Blood on the Altar and now it seems that EVERYTHING is against our investigators in the latest pack.. Undimensioned and Unseen leading us down a route that may lead to madness.

"We shall see that at which dogs howl in the
dark, and that at which cats prick up their ears after midnight. We
shall see these things, and other things which no breathing creature has
yet seen. We shall overleap time, space, and dimensions."
–H.P. Lovecraft, From Beyond

Things are definitely getting weird. By the time your pursuit of two missing professors leads you through The Dunwich Legacy cycle to the scenario from Undimensioned and Unseen,
you'll have traveled far from the familiar comforts of Arkham, and
you'll have witnessed things you know no one would ever believe. You'll
have encountered strange, extra-dimensional entities, and you'll find
yourself neck-deep in furtive cultists and their sacrifices.
Inundated with information about "Ancient Ones" and unholy rituals,
you'll suddenly find yourself forced to destroy terrifying, monstrous
creatures that are literally impervious to everything in your arsenal…

Lets pop it open and take a look. As always no spoilers of encounter cards, just player cards, I don't want to ruin what may happen.

Monday, 8 May 2017

After the latest Deluxe set we are back into our regular chapter packs advancing the story in a game of

thrones, and here we have the Latest one... Guarding the Realm. As Always we get 3 copies of each card and all the factions get some love too.

“The Second Sons are an old company, and not without valor, but under Mero they've turned near as bad as the Brave Companions.”–Ser Jorah Mormont, A Storm of Swords

As the Great Houses of Westeros scheme and plot their enemies’
demise, the last scion of House Targaryen slowly travels west across the
continent of Essos. Daenerys’s path leads her towards the Iron Throne
and King’s Landing, but many obstacles remain before her—starting with
the garish, opulent cities of Slaver’s Bay. Astapor, Yunkai, Meereen:
these are cities that have stood since the days of Old Valyria, growing
fat off their foul trade in human lives. But everything is about to
change for the Ghiscari, and lead your faction on a new path with Guarding the Realm.

Guarding the Realm, the second Chapter Pack in the Blood and Gold cycle for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game, is now available at your local United States retailer and online through our webstore! Like the other packs of this cycle, Guarding the Realm follow the events of A Storm of Swords, bringing key characters like Melisandre and Wex Pyke of House Botley to
the foreground. If you’re going to protect the realm, there’s always a
price to pay… and with new economical options and the bestow keyword,
it’s up to you whether you’ll pay in blood or in gold.

Thursday, 4 May 2017

Its that time again when Fantasy Flight Games releases a nice faction themed Deluxe box for A Game of Thrones the card game. So far we have had Lannisters and Stark, so now its the turn of the Nights Watch, but as always you still get cards for all factions and other goodies too, so its well worth picking up if you don't only play Nights Watch.

When dead men come hunting in the night, do you think it matters who sits the Iron Throne?”–Old Bear Mormont, A Game of Thrones

At the northern edge of the Seven
Kingdoms, there is the Wall. Built from massive blocks of ice and
guarded by ancient, forgotten spells, it towers over 700 feet tall,
forbidding entry to all who dwell beyond. A wall is only as strong as
its defenders, and here, those defenders are the Night’s Watch. In the
Night’s Watch, all men are brothers. Knights, lords, and the brothers of
kings rub shoulders with slavers, murderers, and the scum of Westeros.
Their task is grim and cold and thankless—no songs will ever be sung for
them. Yet their vigilance is all that protects the southern lands from
wildlings and the Others.

Travel north and join the Night’s Watch with the Watchers on the Wall deluxe expansion for A Game of Thrones: The Card Game!
Within this expansion, the Night’s Watch explores new and existing
themes, as you find new ways to defend the Wall, new ways to conscript
your opponent’s characters, and plenty of rewards for focusing on the
three branches of the Night’s Watch: Rangers, Stewards, and Builders.
Along with the nameless men who swell the ranks of the Night’s Watch,
you’ll find new versions of iconic characters from throughout the saga,
including Jon Snow, Old Bear Mormont, Maester Aemon, and Samwell Tarly.

And although the focus of this expansion
rests on the Night’s Watch, you’ll find two new non-loyal cards for
every other faction, expanding your options for any alliance. You’ll
also receive an assortment of neutral cards portraying the Night’s
Watch’s most common enemies, the Wildlings. With seven new plots (one loyal to the Night’s Watch) rounding out the expansion, Watchers on the Wall offers new pathways to victory for every deck.

Wednesday, 3 May 2017

Flames of War is a WW2 15mm scale tabletop miniatures war game, and its good. I had the 3rd edition Open Fire Starter Set full of beautiful models, but the rules where... very complex shall we shall. Detailed most certainly, but it could be a bit daunting to approach. Now BattleFront have released Flames of War

version 4, the new set of rules, and a new low priced starter set with Battle of El Alamein. So have these new rules made things easier for new gamers, (even old gamers like me) to understand? does this set have what it takes to get me into the game? I am not going to be comparing it to V3, as i didn't really play it due to being a bit scared off by the rules, i will be looking at the set, and how easy it is for new gamers to get their heads around the system.

Lets start with that art.... stunning
To me, it has that old style "Victor or Warlord" annual look to it, and it really appeals to me.... now what are the contents, they are pretty important to a miniature war game too... so inside you get..

one plastic Panzer IV, one plastic
Panzer III, one plastic Grant, two plastic Crusaders, two plastic Tank
Commander sprues, Flames Of War 4th Edition mini rulebook, one Flames Of
War ‘Start Here’ booklet, two Terrain Cards, six dice and eight Unit
cards.

lets pop the box open get stuck in to the contents and see what to make of it......

Tuesday, 2 May 2017

Flames of War Berlin takes the struggle to the heart of
Germany, Berlin itself in the dying days of the European war in WW2.Its full of new lists and options to add to
your FOW gaming featuring German and Soviet Lists. The chaotic nature of the fighting
led to the defence having a mix of many troop types, such as Volkssturm, Hitler Youth all, supported by small remaining groups of well-trained troops and
Luftwaffe contributions.

There is just one Intelligence Briefing for the Germans in this book, but with so many options. The Berlin Kampfgruppe briefing has the usual structure of Headquarters, Combat Platoons, Weapons Platoons and Support Platoons as normal, but you can tailor it to your own tastes from a wide array of options.

As always the artwork is great, it is a full colour softback book with so many choices for the German Forces, so lets take a closer look.For your HQ you have two options........